Do You Believe in Love
by thenameisnotknown
Summary: She believed that life could be a Cinderella Story but was proved wrong. What will it take for her to believe in the magic of true love again?
1. Chapter 1

I used to believe in love. That was before I was sitting alone in a downtown Chicago diner waiting for my boyfriend – ex-boyfriend now. I had splurged on a new dress and shoes; it would have been our two year anniversary, and when the waitress brought over another cheap, off brand coffee, I was reminded again of my further depleted bank account. I would have to find a way to return my outfit tomorrow.

I was hoping on a proposal tonight. Alice and Rose had been so excited, shopping for the perfect dress and spending hours on myself tonight. But their efforts were wasted. I'm not sure how I going to tell them. It was embarrassing enough that we broke up on our anniversary. Even worse that I found out he was cheating on me

I had called him about an hour ago waiting in the Waldorf Astoria at the bar. I was trying not to look pathetically alone, but after three cocktails and no missed calls I knew something was up. I hastily called his phone praying not to get the voicemail when I was answered by the phone being picked up.

"_Jake where are you"_

"_Babe, I'm on my way I promise. There was some late minute work I had to take care of at the office."_

"_But it's our anniversary"_

"_I know. I'm sorry"_

But I knew his promises were false when I heard a strangely familiar giggle in the background.

"_Jake what was that?"_

"_Nothing babe, I'll be there in a few minutes"_

"_No Jake, I'm sure I heard something"_

"_Bella it's probably on your end, just wait for me there"_

This time I heard another giggle, followed by a woman's voice.

"_Jacob what is going on over there?"_

"_I'm sorry Bella; I don't know any other way to explain it to you. Me and Leah—"_

But it was too late. I had already ran away humiliated out of the bar, forgetting my cell phone next to my drink.

Somehow I had made my way to the crappy diner I am sitting in now, sullen and depressed while others are out celebrating and loving on my anniversary, coincidentally on Valentine's.

Finally I gathered some of my remaining courage to face my walk of shame home. I would always have a standing date with my two men at home. I knew they would be there for me forever – Ben and Jerry. I faced the blistering cold I had forgotten in my angst an hour ago trying to distract myself from the nights previous incidents.

My concentration on keeping warm distracted me long enough to find my way to the apartment where my two eager best friends were probably awaiting my fabulous engagement ring.

I couldn't help feeling a mixture of hate and embarrassment as I turned the lock to my apartment, but most surprisingly, hurt. This entire time I had felt nothing but betrayal wanting to hide myself for the embarrassment of what he had done. But not once since the news had broken had I shed a single tear for Jacob Black. Weren't you supposed to cry and wallow in self-pity after the breakup? I had the pity part covered. There was no way I could face our friends after something like this. Had our friends known all along? Was this some kind of joke to see how long he could keep two girls, maybe even more? My feminism had been severely ruined; I knew I was no goddess, but I wasn't a sore eye to look at either.

I stepped in the apartment only to see my friends eagerly rushing to me and the floodgates opened on command. They rushed to me obviously confused on how an engagement could be so sad, but when they saw my empty finger, they were halfway reassured.

Somehow we had all ended on the floor in front of the door huddled together while I cried into their arms speaking incoherently.

Alice was the first to speak.

"Bella, honey, what happened tonight?"

"He cheated on me, Alice, Cheated on me." I blubbered out, still sobbing on both of them.

"What?" both of them said.

I proceed to relay the events that transpired earlier tonight, stumbling and sniffling through most of it.

"I should destroy him for all he's worth. I can't believe he would do that to you Bells." Rose told.

"I can Rose." I solemnly said. "No man wants a prude for a girlfriend."

I can't really say why but I never wanted to give myself to Jacob. The whole marriage before sex thing wasn't that big of a deal for me, but enough that I wanted it to be with the right guy. I guess it was too big of a wait for him; after so long of holding out on him, he probably decided to get something on the side. I was planning on finally doing the deed tonight, but patience proved not to be a virtue for Jacob. A twenty seven year old virgin wasn't that uncommon – I think.

"No Bella, you are not a prude. You just have values." Rose assured me. "You have no idea how much I wish I was still a virgin."

"Really Rose?"

"Well, sometimes… I mean sex is pretty great. But more men should respect your decisions."

"What Rose means to say Bella, is that it's very old-fashioned and romantic that you would hold out for that special someone" Alice jumped it. "But now that you and Jake broke up, we can be the Single Sisters again!"

"Yeah Bells. You really didn't need him anyways. It's his loss he didn't realize how great you were."

"So what do you say Bella, why don't you go to sleep tonight then we can get up tomorrow, go to the spa, maybe go shopping—"

"No guys, I just want to stay in my room for the next couple of days and try to forget about all of this. I don't think I will be ready to face the world any more tomorrow that I am right now." Even though it had already been done, it still hurt.

I trudged to my room stopping once in the kitchen to grab a spoon, a can of whipped cream and the largest tub of Chunky Monkey we had the in the refrigerator.


	2. Chapter 2

**Well here's another chappie guys! Thanks for those who followed my story. I can't believe people actually liked my story lol... i'm very self conscious of my work. Anyways, I just wanted to emphasize again that those who review and tell me what direction they want the story to go in or if they want a certain thing to happen in my story, I will probably put it in there. So go review!**

**Thanks**

**-thenameisnotknow**

* * *

"Bella wake up! You can't stay in there forever"

I put another pillow over my head trying to block out the outside world. It had been a couple of days since Jake and I had broken up, but I could will myself to face the outside world yet. The hurt was too over powering in me.

I was what you would call heart-broken. I really was an old sap, believing in love and magic. I guess it had burned me in the end. There was never a Prince Charming anymore. I had spent too much time wasted on watching Disney movies, making myself believe that I could have been Cinderella, reminiscing in the magic of godmothers and crystal glass slippers. I needed to come to terms that I would forever be a "Single Sister"

"Bella, I swear to God I will break down this door if you don't come out right now!"

"Oh please Alice! I am heart-broken, give me a break." I shouted at her wrenching open my bedroom door to a very two angry Alice and Rose.

My two best friends bombarded into my room wrinkling their noses in disgust at both the room and my appearance.

"Excuse me. Would you two care to explain the sudden protest that you are staging on me right now." I really was not in the mood right now for these antics. I had more important things to do, like wallow for another three days in my bed.

Rose was the first to speak up. "Bells this room is a bio-hazard. I can't believe you've been in here for almost two weeks. It's time for you to go back to the real world. I am tired of sliding takeout food under your door. Jake isn't hurting, so why should you treat yourself so badly. And I can't stay anymore watching you treat yourself so badly. It's self-destructing.

"Rose please. It's not even that bad. I have only been in here for a couple days. And I'm not hurting. I just have been trying extra hard to meet the deadline I had to get."

"Bella, don't try to lie to us. Honey we're your best friends, we know you. You may not want to accept it, but you are hurting yourself even more. Please just come out of here." Alice weakly smiled. I saw it on her face. I was hurting them too.

I couldn't help but breaking down again as they led me to the shower. I felt so bad. I was selfish. I blocked off myself from the world in attempt to assuage my hurt from Jacob, but I had failed to see the affect I was having on my friends. Here they were checking on me, trying to bring me back up, and I was abusing their love and festering in pity. But still like the best friends they were, they led me to the bathroom and took care of me while I was frozen numb.

* * *

We walked into a greasy, hole-in-the wall in the middle of Little Italy fuming with garlic and aromas of cheesy mixed with the loud, raucous laughter of families shouting in Italian. My girls knew the only breakup food was two extra-large slices of hearty deep dish Geno's pizza. This spot had been our go to place since we had moved to Chicago after high school. We had met here and instantly had become friends when the pizzeria had switched up all three of our orders. It was an instant bond between us, and ever since we deemed this place our sacred spot.

"Now that we are filled with our essentials, it's time for Operation: Get Bella a New Man." I almost spit my Cherry Coke when the words left Rose's mouth. She must have been joking.

"Whoa Rose, aren't we a little ahead of ourselves? I mean we just broke up. You can't expect me to just be over it like that." I snapped my fingers in emphasis.

"Bella the only way for you to completely rid yourself of that scum is to completely rid yourself of him." She was dead serious. I knew to just go along with all of this; Rose was no force to be moved. But strangely her logic kind of made sense, or maybe my mind was just going along with whatever I heard.

"You know what this means don't you?" Alice had that glint in her eye that made me fearful of either a large shopping trip or a Mean Girls/Breakfast Club/Pretty Women marathon night. I was hoping for the latter.

"Marathon night?" I shyly hoped, filling my body with cosmos and junk food in front of the TV was the only thing I planned to do for the next never weeks.

But unfortunately luck did not rule in my favor. The even more excited squeals than before told me shopping trip it was. I outwardly groaned showing my obvious displeasure for the event that my friends seemed to find such joy in.

"Oh Mrs. Grouch you really need to channel your inner Tyra Banks, get up and live a little. Shopping is a girl's best friend"

"No Alice, this why I have you. Shopping can go find another best friend."

They both giggled pulling me out of my chair and traipsing me out on the streets for what I knew was a long, miserable afternoon awaiting me.

* * *

After several wretched hours of dresses and shoes, and must I say lingerie we were finally back in the apartment. Not one of my finest moments was earlier when we walked into Victoria's Secret. I had exited the dressing room completely wearing one of the bathing suits they forced me to try on backwards. I mean why anyone would pay $100 for three scraps of fabric if it wasn't self-explanatory how to wear it baffled me. But I have to say the trip did make me forget about the dreaded J-word for the day. Not to mention the retelling of the infamous Victoria's Secret mishap over and over again throughout the day.

I was able to sneak off unnoticed into my room shortly after we got home while Alice and Rose were putting away their purchases. As much as I loved my friends, I enjoyed my short bouts of quietness. It allowed me to just block out the world and meditate on myself. I really needed it after the trials and tribulations I had gone through.

I walked in the kitchen later that night to find Rose and Alice dressed to the nines makeup done, hair did up and wearing the highest heels ever known to man. Rose looked like miles and miles of long legs and must I say Alice looked like a goddess.

"Where are you and Rose going all dressed up?" I wolf whistled passing them on the way to the kitchen.

"Not where Rose and I are going, but where we all are going." Alice looked particularly thrilled at my question.

"Alice I don't think I am ready to go out just yet."

"Bella you're going. Now get a shower and wash your hair, we'll take out your clothes and get you beautified." Alice commanded all while pushing me into the bathroom.

Well this definitely wasn't how I planned on spending my Saturday night, but I guess it couldn't be that bad. I'm glad they were pushing me to interact with more people. I couldn't stay holed up in my room forever. It was actually starting to get a little gross now that I think of it. I probably could have started growing mold if I had stayed in there any longer.

* * *

We entered the club and immediately Rose went and came back with three shots of Jaeger.

"To us and living life" Rose toasted. We all raised our glasses "Also to Jake getting gonorrhea" she added before we raised our glasses and downed our shot. I would never get used to the taste of hard liquor, but I still would always partake in the fun with my friends.

We hit the dance floor all of us with a little liquid courage in us and with nothing to lose. I can't believe I actually got up and danced with them. Unfortunately I was not blessed with the natural rhythm that my friends were so generously endowed but I made do with what I had.

I looked across the room and saw both Rose and Alice with guys. I smiled, they really deserved. After dealing with me falling out of love, the least they deserved was some love themselves. And to add the men they were with weren't lacking in the looks department either. Alice currently was talking to a tall, blonde man. The height difference was a stark contrast but the attraction between them was radiating across the room. I could tell both of them were madly into each other and they danced like they were the only two in the room. Rose on the other hand was having a deep discussion in a concealed booth with a large, burly man with brown curly hair and dimples like a little boy. If I knew Rose, she was very opinionated and not just anyone could keep up with her once she started discussing something. This guy looked like he was keeping up just fine.

A little tired from the constant dancing, I made myself to sit at the bar and replenish myself with another drink. A man sat down next to me. I would have thought nothing of it and kept drinking my drink if something about him had not made me do a double take at him. He had the most unusual hair. It was a reddish-brown but not quite brown, but not quite ginger either. He was more of a bronze, with the most striking emerald eyes I had ever seen, I was caught staring when a loud ahem brought me back to reality. A blush spread over my face and down my neck as I was embarrassed being caught staring at a beautiful man, one I did not even know.

"Hi. I'm Edward"

"Uhh" Was he speaking to me? I really needed to get it together. The drunken look was not a very flattering light considering I wasn't even buzzed at all.

"Well Uh, it's very nice to meet you." He smirked, obviously knowing my name was not that but teasing me none the less.

"No."

"No?" He repeated. I really needed to get my head together. These one word sentences were getting annoying even in my own head.

"No. My name is Bella."

"Well Bella. It's nice to meet you. What's the occasion tonight?"

"No occasion just spending a night with my friends." I told him pointing them out.

"Ahh. I see they have met my brothers."

"Brothers?"

"Yes. The blonde and the big man over with your friends, Jasper and Emmett." He went on about them but I vaguely was catching half of what he was saying. His voice was locking me into a stupor. A man had never had this strong of an effect on me. I couldn't deny that he was good looking.

"Bella?"

"I'm sorry what was that?" And there was that blush again. I really needed to start paying attention.

"No I was asking if you wanted to dance."

"Oh I really shouldn't. I'm not that good; I probably would just embarrass you."

"It's all in the leading. Trust me, you won't look bad." He laughed pulling me on the floor.

I got lost in the dancing as it felt like we were dancing for hours. I felt so comfortable and relaxed dancing with him. I felt as if we were old friends dancing the night away. I looked up and he was intensely gazing in my eyes. We were our own island in the sea of dancers around us. I was so caught up I almost didn't realize it when my friends tapped on my shoulder to get my attention. They had a knowing look in their eyes, but I diverted their stares and instead made my eyes to Edward who looked just as amused by my friends.

"We'll be waiting in the car Bella. Don't make us wait to long." Rose told me. She and Alice walked away. I looked back at them one more time before turning back to Edward.

"So Bella" He said intently, "We should meet again sometime."

"Sure Edward, how about we meet for lunch tomorrow?"

"Lunch is great. I'll text you the place and time."

We said our goodbyes, and I couldn't help feeling like things were turning up again as I made my way outside to Alice and Rose.

I was bombarded with questions the second I got in the car.

"Bella! That man you were talking to tonight was unbelievably gorgeous! Do you like him? Are you going to see him again? When are you going to see him? When can we meet him? Is he single? Did you know they all were brothers?"

"I know, yes, yes, tomorrow, I'm not sure yet, probably, and he told me."

"Very funny Bells. Way to be a smart ass" they joked before launching off on more firing squad questions about Edward.

I barely paid attention as we were driving home, too absorbed in the bliss from this evening. I got a text as I laid down about to go to sleep.

_Tmrrw Bella Italia noon. Hope u like Italian. __Sweet Dreams –E_

I smiled to myself before nodding off in slumbers filled with Edward.


End file.
